History / Culture / Tour Spots in Tottori Area
Area
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Tottori
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Tottori
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- Kozen-ji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kuritanicho 10
- "This temple is one of the three Zen temples of the Őbaku school of Zen Buddhism, and is known as one of the ""Three School Temples of Ōbaku"" along with Dainenji Temple of the Mutsu Date family and Tokōji Temple of the Nagato Mori family. The main hall is designated as a national tangible cultural property."
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- Ikeda Family Cemetery
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kokufucho Okudani Miyashita
- This graveyard, located a 15-minute drive from Tottori Station, was for the Ikeda family, whose members served as lords of Tottori. Surrounded by a fence and situated amidst the abundant natural beauty of Inaba-Hoki, the graveyard encloses some 70 graves occupied by members of the Ikeda family, including 11 generations of lords, from Ikeda Mitsunami, the first lord of Tottori Domain, which was valued at 370 thousand square kilometers between Inaba and Hoki; to the 11th generation Ikeda Yoshitaka; as well as their wives. In the graveyard, there can be found the distinctive turtleback tombs of the lords, and, for other members of the family, two-tier grave markers, as well as stone markers which became standardized in the Edo period. Because the graveyard reveals the funeral customers of an Edo period samurai lord family and is of immense historical value, it has been designated a National Historic Site. Today, the graveyard is also a popular destination to view cherry blossoms in spring and autumn foliage in fall.
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- Okamasu no Ishido
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kokufucho Okamasu
- "This small temple, made of tuff, stands on a hill on the southwest side of the Okamasu district. When it was made and by whom is unclear, and as such it is called the ""mystery stone temple."" The symmetrical temple consists of a one-meter-high base on which sits a central capstone surrounded by stone walls 40-centimeters-thick. One theory says it's a part of the facilities of the ruined Okamasu Temple, while according to another it is the grave of Emperor Antoku, and in 1896 it was designated the prospective tomb of the emperor and is managed by the Imperial Household Agency."
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- Gakugyoin
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kokufucho Matsuo 55
- "This temple was once part of the seven structure compound of the Kakeizan Koryoji, a temple built here during the Wado era (708-715). The temple enshrines a tripartite statue of Bhaisajyaguru and one of Kisshoten. The statue of Bhaisajyaguru, in particular, the temple's principal object of worship, is believed to have miraculous properties, and it is only revealed to the public once every 12 years. Together, the four statues are the only designated National Important Cultural Properties in Tottori City. According to legend, during a fire which destroyed the temple during the Warring States period, locals brought out the statue of Bhaisajyaguru and covered it with grass and soil to protect it, leading to it coming to be called the ""Bhaisajyaguru of the Dirt Temple."""
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- Inaba Kokucho Site
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kokufucho Chugo
- This Nara and Heian period site of a government office is located midway along the Fukuro River. In a 1977 architectural dig, the site of the main building, where government officials conducted government business, was discovered, as well as earthfast posts, earthenware, and porcelain. The site is around 150-meters-long east to west, and 200-meters-long north to south. It is believed that in each of the Nara, Heian, and Kamakura periods, the area flourished as a center of government and finance and that many buildings stood here. At the Inaba Manyo History Museum, a five-minute drive away, you can see a model of the facility reconstructed based on educated guesses, and examples of the kind of clothing people wore during the times the site was active.
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- Otomo no Yakamochi Monument
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Kokufucho Cho
- "This monument is inscribed with a poem by court noble and waka poet Otomo no Yakamochi, whose poem is the last to appear in the ancient ""Man'yoshu"" poetry anthology. Situated on a part of the grounds of the Inaba Kokucho Site situated midway along the Fukuro River, the monument is three-meters-tall and is made of natural stone. The poem on the monument is the last poem of the Man'yoshu."" The poem expresses the thoughts of Yakamochi, reading, ""On the start of the New Year, snow continues to fall. May this year be as beautiful as the snow."" The grounds are also the site of a monument inscribed with a poem by famed poet, scholar, and ""Man'yoshu"" scholar Nobutsuna Sasaki; and a monument inscribed with a poem from the ""Man'yoshu"" which is believed to be about Mt. Imaki, one of the Three Inaba Mountains; all have been designated Cultural Properties by Tottori City."
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- Tomb of Yamanaka Shikanosuke
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Shikanocho Saiwai Sakari Terauchi
- "This is the tomb of Yamanaka (Yukimori) Shikanosuke, a military commander who devoted his life to the Amago clan in a world where it was common for inferiors to overthrow their superiors for personal gain. The tomb of the steadfast general is located on the grounds of the Koseiji Temple, whose name is derived from an alternate reading of ""Yukimori,"" Shikanosuke's other name. Shikanosuke fought numerous battles across the Chugoku region to restore the power of the Amago clan after they were defeated by the powerful Chugoku-based Mori clan; he was also the father-in-law of Kamei Korenori, lord of Shikano Castle. Korenori built the temple to comfort the soul of Shikanosuke. A 40-meter-tall ginkgo tree planted around the same time the tomb was built also stands on the grounds."
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- The Bukemon Gate of the Minoura Family
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Shotokucho 101
- A dignified Nagaya gate opposite the Tottori Prefectural Government Office. Originally at the edge of a moat in Higashi-machi, it served as the main gate for the Minoura clan, a wealthy, high ranking Tottori samurai family during the feudal era. Although it was nearly demolished in the Showa period, it was preserved and relocated to its current position after Soetsu Yanagi-a leading figure in the Mingei folk art movement-took an interest in it. It is the only surviving gate of its kind in the city and has been designated a Tottori City Cultural Property for its superb historic value.
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- Hiokizakura Shuzo Sake Museum
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tottori-shi Aoyacho Otsubo 77-1
- A museum founded by Yamane Shuzo, known for its Hiokizakura sake. The two-story tile-roofed wooden building has display rooms featuring drinking vessels and the sake brewing process. The sake brewing exhibit has about 200 items with a focus on brewing equipment from the Edo period, including a manual rice washing machine and wooden barrels. It's a great way to see the traditional technology and high quality of Yamane Shuzo for yourself. The museum is about five minutes by car from Aoya Interchange on the San-in Expressway. Reservations are required for tours, so you need to contact them in advance.
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- Yurihama Town Hawai History & Folklore Museum
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Tohaku-gun Yurihamacho Hisadome 19-1
- A folk museum next to Yurihama Town Hall, about 15 minutes from the Hokuei Interchange on Hojo Yubara Road. The haniwa earthen objects excavated from the Hoki Nagase Takahama Ruins located on the right bank of the Tenjin River are a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. The Hashizu Burial Mounds are a National Historic Site located on a hill between the Sea of Japan and Lake Togo; artifacts unearthed in there are on display, allowing visitors to imagine life in ancient times. There is no staff at the museum, so you need to contact Tomari Branch of the Yurihama Town Hall in advance if you want to visit.
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- Hawai Fudokikan Museum
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Tottori Tohaku-gun Yurihamacho Kamihashizu 710-2
- A local museum located at the northern edge of the Hawai Plain. The five-story building modeled after haniwa earthen objects and a castle is top of Mt. Umanoyama at 107 meters above sea level. This mountain is also famous as the setting of the ancient battle during which Hashiba Hideyoshi conquered the Chugoku region. It has one of the oldest and largest tombs in the San'in area, Umanoyama No.4 ancient tomb, as well as a lookout with an 360° panoramic view of the beautiful natural surroundings. When the weather is clear, the view takes in Lake Togo, the Sea of Japan, and even Mt. Daisen. The sight of the museum lit up at night is particularly magical.
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- Nichinancho Art Museum
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Tottori Hino-gun Nichinancho Kasumi 785
- A municipal art museum that exhibits about 250 works collected by Rinzo Satake, a native of Nichinan Town and the founder of Sakura Cray-Pas. The museum makes the town's art and culture accessible to all. The displays focus on modern painting and sculptures by artists like Ryuzaburo Umehara, Gyokudo Kawai, and Takeshi Hayashi . They also exhibit designs and Western-style paintings by Toshio Ashiba, also from Nichinan Town. The museum holds a variety of children's workshops as well as an art class for adults where pastel crayon techniques are taught by a professional artist.
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- Chorakuji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Hino-gun Hino Cho Shimoenoki 875
- A Soto Zen Buddhist temple located a 15-minute drive from Neu Station in the mountains. Legend says that it was rebuilt by the warlord Hasebe Nobutsura, who appeared in the Heike Monogatari. The temple's principle object of worship is an image of Yakushi Nyorai said to have been made during the Heian period. They have a variety of Buddhist statuary recalling the culture of the time, including statues of two Yakushi Nyorai attendants, and standing images of Bishamonten and Fudo-myoo. A sitting image of Yakushi Nyorai as well as standing images of Gakkobosatsu and Nikkobosatsu are national Important Cultural Properties. Reservations are required to visit, so contact Chorakuji Temple or Komyoji Temple in advance.
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- Hino Town History and Folklore Museum
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Hino-gun Hino Cho Neu 497
- A museum about 400 meters from Neu Station. It houses and displays about 1,800 items from days gone by, including farming equipment, Mingu folk art, and implements, and daily goods. The facility's dignified building was donated for use as the then town of Neu's public hall in 1940 by Juichiro, the 7th generation head of the Kondo family, who made its fortune in steelmaking. The symbol displayed on the front of the building combines various Chinese characters in a way that shows the facility's importance to Hino culture. Reservations are required for entry, so contact them by phone in advance if you'd like to visit.
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- Wakasa History and Culture Hall
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yazu-gun Wakasacho Yadora 31
- A museum located at the approach to Yadora village, which is close to Wakasa Station. It lets visitors learn about the history and folk customs of Wakasa Town. The sturdy and graceful hip-and-gable roof building was home to San'in Godo Bank's Wakasa Branch from 1907 to 1981. It preserves the typical storehouse-style design of the Meiji period for modern times. Its many highlights include a beautiful Japanese garden, a famous Wakasa stone, and Meiji and Showa period items that were donated by locals when the building first opened.
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- Sanbyakuda Family Residence
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yazu-gun Wakasacho Yadora 37
- This is the site of the residence of the Sanbyakuda Family, who were village headman from ages past. Its inner room, storage room, and typical three-room parlor layout is characteristic of 17th-century private homes in the Inaba district. This type of traditional structure is known as shihachi; eight bays wide and four bays deep, it's larger than more typical private residences of the time. It is registered as a Prefectural Cultural Property because it demonstrates the architecture and ways of life in the Genroku period.
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- Wakasa-jinja Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yazu-gun Wakasacho Wakasa
- A shrine that is said to have been built by the Yabe clan, the first lords of Wakasa Onigajo Castle. The exact date of its founding is unknown, but according to shrine legend, the Wakasa tutelary deity Matsugami Daimyojin has been worshipped there since ancient times. Considered one of the major shrines of the prefecture, its treasure registry includes donated items like a card with one of Emperor Go-Daigo's poems, Nawa Nagatoshi's spear, and Taira no Moritsugu's jingasa hat. Its May 3rd Wakasa Festival features portable mikoshi shrines, a procession, and lion dances.
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- Minedera Temple, Yakushido Hall
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yazu-gun Yazucho Kamiminedera
- An ancient temple and one of Japan's three major temples honoring Yakushi Nyorai along with Horyuji Temple in Nara and Horaisan Yakushiji Temple in Mikawa province. At the top of a narrow stone staircase, the temple is said to have been founded more than 1,200 years ago. It was known as Shohoji when at the time and belonged to Shingon esoteric Buddhism. The main hall was destroyed by fire in the 16th century; the one you see today was rebuilt in 1861.There is a Chinese cusped gable style Buddhist altar in the center of the hall which has an open veranda on three sides that's eight meters wide, nine meters deep, and one meter high.
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- Uchimachi Goto House
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yonago
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- Fukuichi Ruins Park
- Travel / Tourism
- Tottori Yonago-shi Fuku 461-20
- Discovered during the construction of a school and residential area, the Fukuichi Ruins have been of great value in studying the Kofun period in the San'in region. Located at the confluence of the Hino and Hosshoji Rivers, about 35,000 earthenware fragments have been excavated from the sites of several hundred villages, as well as over 200 tombs. Some of the sites have been preserved and constitute a historical park that reproduces Yayoi period village scenery. Locals go there to relax in the spring and early summer when the cherry trees and azaleas are in bloom.
Tottori Areas
Tottori prefecture is Japanese seasonal diversity at its best: Huge sand dunes cover the north coast, making for the perfect summer beach trip complete with the unexpected addition of camels; November brings the delectable snow crab, while winter around Mount Daisen, the Chugoku region’s highest mountain, promises snow sports and magical views.
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